The Best Standalone Fantasy Books of All Time

Many fantasy books have multiple books that you have to read. But most people don’t have the time or patience to read all of them. That is why we created this list of the best standalone fantasy books of all time. Keep reading to find out which books made out list!  

There are many great standalone fantasy novels to read. But they don’t often get the love they deserve because they get lumped in with fantasy series that have multiple books. Which is why we decided to make a list of the best standalone fantasy novels.

With these books, after you read the last page, there’s no waiting for another book to release to conclude the story. You can enjoy them and move on to the next book. You can see the full list below!  

The Best Standalone Fantasy Books of All Time  

• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
• Circe by Madeline Miller
• The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
• Babel by R. F. Kuang
• Stardust by Neil Gaiman
• Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
• Perdido Street Station by China Miéville
• Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
• The Princess Bride by William Goldman
• The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
• The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

The Night Circus

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern has made a name for itself as a must read novel. Morgenstern is a terrific storyteller and has won me over as a fan ever since I read this book. Her ability to tell a beautiful fantasy novel and love story is unmatched.

The circus arrives to town out of nowhere as if it suddenly appeared there magically. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves and is only open at night. But hidden from the public is the a fierce rivalry between two young magicians.

They have been trained since childhood for this rivalry. But a dark secret of the games means that only one of them will be left standing. And despite everything, they start falling for each other. How will this affect the games and the night circus and what will the consequences of their love be?

Neil Gaiman

An author that makes multiple appearances on the list is Neil Gaiman. He is a gifted writer and if you read one of his novels, there is a good chance you will binge read all his novels. This list could easily have been filled with even more books by Gaiman. If you were to only read one novel by Gaiman, the I recommend The Ocean at the End of the Lane.  

Babel

In the past couple of years, R. F. Kuang has emerged as one of the best new authors. And Babel is an amazing fantasy novel that tells the story of colonization and languages.

It is beautifully written and while you may have started reading it because of the fantasy element but will stay for the course on languages. Kuang has become a must read author with every novel she writes no matter what genre she writes for.

Babel takes place in 1812 and tells the story of Robin Swift, an orphan who is brought to London by Professor Lovell. Robin is taught various languages in preparation for his enrollment at Oxford’s Royal Institute of Translation program which is also known as Babel.

Magic is practiced at Babel and Robin learns how to use it to serve Britain. But serving Babel means that Robin is going against his own county as a result. When Britain decides to go to war against China, Robin must decide who he will side with.

The Library at Mount Char

A fantasy novel that I enjoyed a lot is The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins. The book is funny yet entertaining and different than your typical fantasy novels. That is also why I have had a hard time writing a book review for it.

Words don’t do this novel justice. The novel is one that I still find myself thinking about years later and recommend to anyone who enjoys a well written fantasy novel. It is a great break your typical fantasy novel and an adventure unlike any other.

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

A novel that I loved and was glad to see on this list was Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. The novel is about magic returning to England and two magicians who have two different plans for it.

Two magicians with different ideologies emerge during the beginning of the nineteenth century to change England’s history. Mr Norrell reveals his magical powers to help England in the war effort against Napoleon Bonaparte.

Suddenly, he is a celebrity overnight and the leading figure of magic. Jonathan Strange’s magic is of a different kind and he also joins the war against Napoleon.

He becomes Mr Norrell’s students but their disagreements on magic lead them to two different paths. But Strange might need his mentor’s help to stop a power that is bent on destroying everything he loves.

I enjoyed the historical element of the book and felt transported to the nineteenth century. I will admit the novel starts off slow but once it picks up, you won’t be able to put it down.

Conclusion  

That is all for this list of the best standalone fantasy books of all time. The list includes old and new fantasy novels that are must reads. More often than not, fantasy novels are part of a series and take forever to read.

But this list includes standalone novels that are just as good if not better. Not every book needs to be series. And yet, you might wish they were so you could continue reading about these characters.

What books on the list have you read or plan to read? What books should we have included on our list? Let us know in the comments below. Until next time, happy reading!

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